Dallas, TX

Two Dallas Physicians Charged in $12 Million Fraud Scheme

Published

1 year ago

November 27, 2023

Two Dallas Physicians Charged in Million Fraud Scheme

Drs. Desi and Deno Barroga were indicted for allegedly receiving $12 million from fraudulent claims and illegally distributing hydrocodone to patients from the Dallas pain management clinic where they operated.

The physicians are accused of carrying out a fraudulent scheme between 2016 and 2022 against Blue Cross Blue Shield, Cigna, and United Healthcare. The doctors required patients to visit once a month, where they would allegedly stay for only fifteen minutes, often leaving with a prescription for a Schedule II narcotic.

While at the clinic, the Barrogas would bill insurance for injections of anti-inflammatory steroids without administering the medicine. According to the indictment, the doctors would put a needle against the patient’s skin without piercing the skin to mimic an injection. Other patients received small amounts of steroids.

Next, the Barrogas would bill insurance as if the patient had received dozens of injections when the prosecution claimed that most of them had received no injections or small amounts. The physicians allegedly billed for 80 injections on a patient in a single visit. Court records show that the clinic sometimes billed more than $4,000 for services on a single day for a patient.

The clinic allegedly created fake health records to reflect the fraudulent billing, often copying and pasting the record from patient to patient with little to no variation. The Barrogas submitted the false records to the insurance companies to justify the alleged fraud. The defendant billed insurance companies for $50 million, of which they were paid $12 million for the fraudulent work.

According to the Texas Medical Board, Deno Barroga was accused of improperly prescribing controlled substances to patients in 2015. As a result, his practice had to be monitored by another physician, and he had to take a professional development course on physician prescribing.

In 2018, he was accused in a State Board of Administrative Hearing document of failing to assess and treat a patient who died from a drug overdose from the controlled substances he prescribed the patient. According to the SBOA documents, he diagnosed a woman in her 30s with stenosis and degenerative joint disease without support in his medical records, and even though the patient said she suffered from depression and was already using narcotics and psychiatric medications, he prescribed her Oxycontin and Percocet without consulting the patient’s psychiatrist. When Barroga learned the patient had received a prescription for other medications in violation of the controlled substances contract, he allegedly took no action.

In 2021, the Texas Medical Board assigned Desi Barroga 16 hours of continuing education after it was determined that he failed to keep an adequate medical record, including issues with examination details and the rationale for prescription, which included a fentanyl patch for at least one patient.

Desi Barroga was assigned a public defender and pleaded not guilty. Deno Barroga also pleaded not guilty and retained a white-collar defense lawyer but has had two different lawyers since he was arrested on Nov. 16.

Author

Will is the senior editor for D CEO magazine and the editor of D CEO Healthcare. He’s written about healthcare…

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Dallas, TX

‘Longest six days of my life’: Kiwis stranded in US airport without food, clothing

Published

12 hours ago

January 12, 2025

Press Room

‘Longest six days of my life’: Kiwis stranded in US airport without food, clothing

Still image taken from video of stranded passengers waiting for help in Dallas Fort Worth International Airport in Texas, United States, on Saturday, 11 January, 2025. Photo / Carina Fischer

“Everyone went crazy in the plane. It was bonkers. Everyone was yelling, and at the end, the pilot made the announcement and everyone started chanting ‘new crew, new crew’,” Ruhlman.

“I have to go to work. I’m obviously not going to be able to work on Monday. I was supposed to arrive in Auckland on Friday morning,” Ruhlman said.

Carina Fischer, of Remuera, described the scene in the terminal as “a nightmare”.

Fischer said: “Everyone is crying. Kids are screaming.”

She said a relative had helped her buy a hotel room, but she had been washing her clothes in the sink and drying them with a hairdryer.

She was also worried about her child who has ADHD, saying he was without his medication as well.

She claimed American Airlines was “not helpful, not helpful at all”.

Ruhlman echoed that sentiment: “They literally don’t care that they ruined people’s holidays and so many plans – and sanity.”

She said a group of passengers were planning to write to the airline’s chief executive asking for compensation.

“I’m so tired and still in my same clothes as Wednesday. It’s Monday …”

American Airlines was approached for comment on Saturday, but had yet to respond by Monday morning.

The flight, American Airlines 55, was due to leave the US on Wednesday, but after several false starts, the passengers were still waiting in the terminal on Saturday morning. Photo / Carina Fischer

Another passenger, Sarah Botwright was due to be in New Zealand for a holiday to see her friend, said she had to be home in Ohio and she would likely have to cancel her whole trip to Godzone.

“My luggage will be going to New Zealand regardless of whether I go or not, though,” she said.

“It’s just insane,” she said of the situation.

Local daily paper the Dallas Morning News reported more than 600 flights to and from Dallas Fort Worth International Airport and Dallas Love Field had been cancelled as of 5pm Friday (12pm, Saturday, NZ).

More than 800 flights were also delayed. American Airlines flights were the most impacted by the delays, the Dallas Morning News said.

The paper said the delays were due to a snowstorm in North Texas on Thursday which left a dumping of snow and icy conditions.

Raphael Franks is an Auckland-based reporter who covers breaking news. He joined the Herald as a Te Rito cadet in 2022.

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Dallas, TX

Dallas visits Ottawa after shootout victory

Published

23 hours ago

January 12, 2025

Press Room

Dallas visits Ottawa after shootout victory

Associated Press

Dallas Stars (27-13-1, in the Central Division) vs. Ottawa Senators (20-18-3, in the Atlantic Division)

Ottawa, Ontario; Sunday, 5 p.m. EST

BETMGM SPORTSBOOK LINE: Stars -138, Senators +117; over/under is 5.5

BOTTOM LINE: The Ottawa Senators host the Dallas Stars after the Stars defeated the Montreal Canadiens 2-1 in a shootout.

Ottawa has a 10-7-1 record in home games and a 20-18-3 record overall. The Senators have gone 11-5-2 in games their opponents commit more penalties.

Dallas has an 11-8-0 record in road games and a 27-13-1 record overall. The Stars have gone 13-6-1 in games their opponents commit more penalties.

The matchup Sunday is the second time these teams square off this season. The Stars won 4-2 in the last matchup. Roope Hintz led the Stars with two goals.

TOP PERFORMERS: Joshua Norris has scored 14 goals with nine assists for the Senators. Ridly Greig has four goals and one assist over the past 10 games.

Jason Robertson has 10 goals and 24 assists for the Stars. Wyatt Johnston has four goals and seven assists over the last 10 games.

LAST 10 GAMES: Senators: 4-5-1, averaging 2.3 goals, 3.6 assists, 4.4 penalties and 10.2 penalty minutes while giving up 2.9 goals per game.

Stars: 8-1-1, averaging 3.2 goals, 5.6 assists, 2.4 penalties and 4.8 penalty minutes while giving up two goals per game.

INJURIES: Senators: None listed.

Stars: None listed.

___

The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.

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Dallas, TX

Hundreds of volunteers clean up the community for MLK Fest Dallas 2025

Published

1 day ago

January 11, 2025

Press Room

Hundreds of volunteers clean up the community for MLK Fest Dallas 2025

CBS News Texas

Live

DALLAS — Volunteers laced up their sneakers and beautified Dallas’ Fair Park neighborhood Saturday morning as part of the MLK Fest Dallas 2025, which aims to reduce blight and promote public art.

Volunteers started off at the MLK Community Center and were assigned to clean up one of eight zones in South Dallas. People mowed grass, renovated homes, and painted a mural.

“It brings community together. A good friend of mine says community and unity are common unity, so we love all of it. We just want to be able to revitalize this place and give the community a sense of pride or ownership and give that back to all,” said Paul Franklin, community outreach director with the Walls Project.

Hundreds of volunteers braved the cold and came together for the large-scale community cleanup. The event brought together people from non-profits, churches, and businesses. The event aims to clean up blight while honoring the life of Martin Luther King Jr.

“This is just another part of how our community celebrates the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, to exemplify how important that is and how that connects us all to each other,” said Shawna Nesbitt, vice president of UT Southwestern Medical Center.

UT Southwestern Medical Center had about 160 volunteers who signed up. One of their projects included painting a mail room and bike rack at an apartment complex. Volunteers also picked up trash, cleared weeds, and spoke with those experiencing homelessness.

“I’m going to speak to the people that we see that are possibly unsheltered in tents and inform them of the center here at Fair Park that just recently opened the shelter,” said Jeremy Connally, an owner with the Epiphany Foundation.

The day ends with a block party at the MLK Community Center and a gala at the Renaissance Center.

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